Red like blood
by Anya8
Summary: Sequel to Through the times. The O'Connells take their place in this one! If you think that it was easy for Heterity to save Ardeth you are wrong. The results are very unfortunate. R&R please!!!! (CHAPTER 8 UP! A battle breaks...)
1. Default Chapter

~I thought of taking a break but suddenly I had some inspiration so I am sitting down to write again. Let's hope the second one will be better. And bigger. But I wont be able to write so often. And the O'Connells are in this!~

"We trusted you. We placed in your hands the power of the great goddess. And how did you repay us? By not keeping your promise. By using it for non-agreed things. You will be punished for this. In a month's time, you will take this form yourself. But you will not control the power anymore. She will control you! And you will finish what you stopped, by starting from the one you love the most. Enjoy your last month my princess. All your life will be…DEATH!"   

Heterity screamed and clasped her husband. Ardeth woke with a start and pressed his body to hers. The comforting warmth of it calmed her down and she rested her head on his chest, feeling his hand slowly caressing her hair. He could feel her forehead, cooler than usually. When her heart finally stopped racing in her chest he talked to her.

"What is it Hity? What did you saw?"

"One month. I just have one month." She said slowly, not able to give a coherent answer yet. 

"You have one month for what?" Ardeth asked puzzled. 

She finally sighed and gathered herself as much as possible. "Remember the lioness?" she asked.

"How can I forget?"

"Well, would you like to face her again?" 

"What did you see? You think she is coming back?"

"Not exactly. Ardeth, what I did to save you was not exactly acceptable by the ones who are higher than me. I used a power that was not mine. I hoped that there would be no unfortunate consequence. But it seems that…" she stopped as if speaking has suddenly become difficult. "It seems that I will turn into her. Same with last time. And of course I will not be able to control myself. And I will start killing people. You will be the first one."

Ardeth struggled to realize what Heterity has just said. "And this will happen in a month?" He asked. 

"Certainly."

"We can't leave it this way! There must be something to be done."

"I will leave tomorrow. I will go back to my tomb." Ardeth tried to say something but Heterity raised her hand sharply. "Alone Ardeth. Hopefully I will find something among my brother's things. But if solution is not found… then I will have to die before I do this, while I will still be able to."

Ardeth let his head drop. A million thoughts were crossing his head. Death, pain, sorrow again. A punishment with no reason. A whirlwind of emotions overcame him. But Heterity had more to say. 

"Ardeth, I think that you understood that if there is no solution to this in a month, I will have to kill myself. Promise me that you will not try to make this difficult for me in any way."

Duty, loss, love. Which was really the right solution and what could be done? Was there a light to guide them through this darkness? Who could help him now? Fear, despair. "I will. I promise."

She closed her eyes. "Lets hope we will find a solution, though this sounds impossible. Don't mourn me Ardeth, I am not dead." She stopped for a while and added "Yet".   

                                                          ~

Ardeth watched the woman going away before the sun appeared at the horizon. The darkest hour of night is this before the sunrise, they say. But where was the sunrise now? Because he could see it nowhere. 

When he was rescued by her he never asked the details. He thought that if she wanted him to know she would have told him. But now everything was coming back to him. The turning into a lioness was almost alright. He remembered that in the ancient times some soldiers were saying that she was a real goddess and could turn into any animal she wanted. Exaggerated but still it had some true bits. From the worshipping of the leonine goddess, Sekhmet, she had  powers common people cold only dream of. But he knew nothing about if she had or not permit ion to heal. And he could do nothing to help her this time. Only observe. Was he that strong? Observe her struggling to find a solution, observe her suffering, observe her dying? Could he put up with it without breaking down? 

                                                            ~

All I could I did Med-jai. To help her. Willingly I gave her my power. But she was too strong to be tolerated. She was feared. That's the real reason she is being punished. I favor her though and that is the reason I will offer yet another chance to her- and you. I locked the curse in a red stone, which lies at the place of rain. Destroy it and she will not suffer. However if anyone finds the stone there is danger to free the curse by accident. In that case I will offer you one last chance. If she takes this form, she will be able to be killed, but only by the hand of the one she loved the most. If you have to, Med-jai, kill her to save her and the rest of the world. Duty is first. Duty…duty…duty…duty…duty…

Ardeth opened his eyes. "THE STONE!" he yelled in the darkness, and his voice sounded strange in the silence of the night.


	2. The arrival

~ Thanks to Malathyne for his very encouraging review~

So here I am. In the biggest ship I have ever seen in my life, heading to London, hoping to find the stone. I have to free myself from this circle. I sometimes curse the moment I accepted to guard those powers, but then I think that Ardeth would be dead if I hadn't done so. But then is that good? He is probably going to die in the short future, along with everyone else. All depends on a little red stone. Destiny is a funny thing. So much blood…

Thanks to the traveling I am sometimes distracted of these thoughts. I have never seen the sea before in my life. Or lives. Whatever. It is one of the most beautiful things I have laid eyes on (after Ardeth). It is like the desert. Wild, uncontrollable, away from the reach of us, mere  mortals. I can not decide when I love her more. When she is furious, shooting great waves up to the skies and threatening to reach the deck, or when she is calm, with small waves sparkling beneath the sun, tempting you to jump into her embrace. 

Of course I can not forget the very important small practical bits. I have bought European clothes! I barely had time to get used to the desert style and here I am in a long skirt! Ardeth contacted someone in London, and Evelyn O'Connell with her husband. I am really looking forward to meeting them. I have heard so much of them! As for the other man, he must be a med-jai, or something very close to a med-jai.  They certainly appear to have connections everywhere! As for me, I am supposed to be an Egyptologist! I have enough knowledge to play my part when and if needed. The only thing I am not confident about is my English. Grammar is alright, but my accent is too strong. I certainly need to improve my "r" .

Lost in my thoughts I haven't noticed the man leaning against gunwale and staring at me. He has the lightest complexion I have ever seen and he is red-haired. I do not like red haired people, most Egyptians don't.  Seth, the god of chaos and evil was red haired.  He is also kind of… slimy. He turns to talk to me. 

- Are you going to England?

- Yes. I answer quite sharply but I do not like his voice either. The only reason I haven't walked away yet, is that I want to practice my English.

- Really? He asks kindly. And you must be from Egypt. Why are you going there?

- (I am going to find a red stone to prevent myself from turning into a lioness and destroying mankind. Is the interrogation over?) I am an Egyptologist and I am hoping of finding a job in the British Museum. Now excuse me…

For no reason I would spend another minute in his company. I walk to my small cabin.  It is the first time I live in so small and closed a place. This I count among the negative experiences. As we are approaching these places the weather changes. It is colder, the sun doesn't always honor us with his presence and when he appears he is not the sun I knew and the sun we worshipped. It something strange, feeble and weak. It can not pierce through the thick clouds and warm our skin a little bit. 

                                                   ~

In England I saw rain for the first time. Water falling from the sky, that was something we didn't have back then in Egypt. It was heavy and it gave me the impression that if turned my head to the sky I'd be drowned. It was also night, but the clouds didn't allow me a view of the stars. As for the moon it barely shown. It seemed to me that I was in another world. The lights of the city… I have been to Cairo, but Cairo was not as big as London. In still kind of reminded me the old times. But here… the houses, the noise, the vehicles moving at an incredible speed.  How was I supposed to find a med-jai without markings here? The people were too many. I heard a man calling at me 

- Madam?

I turned and looked at him. Arab. Egyptian to be specific. The nose gave him away. I do not know from where these noses came but many Arabs have them.

- Transport? He asked again looking in my eyes. 

I didn't know what to say. It was a high possibility that he were the man I have been looking for, but then if he weren't?

- No, thank you. I said politely.

- Are you sure? He insisted. He was either med-jai or he was very very annoying.  We have been waiting for you, he went on.

I drew a deep breath. It should be him. I decided to take the risk. 

- Med-jai? I asked cautiously, dreading the answer. 

- Heterity? He asked smiling broadly. I'll get your things, He went on.

I was really relieved. I guessed that he was given a detailed description of me. He had a car. I didn't know anything of these vehicles, but it was more than obvious that it was a wreck to say the least. It made a lot of noise and produced an incredible amount of smoke. At first I thought that it was on fire! On the way he told me that there were bets about this car, if it is going to make it for a year or not. I would bet against it. he also told me about the London med-jai and their purpose. From what I understood there was a perfect network of them in many places. We arrived at the museum. It was still raining. I was already tired of it and I was cold, despite the fact that I was heavily dressed. He guided me to another man who was working in the museum he was also a med-jai obviously. Again I was guided to a door and told that Evelyn O'Connell is still working here. Then I was left alone. I gathered all of my courage- something has made me shy towards this woman who was also my great-great- grandmother- and knocked on the door.      


	3. Found and lost

~ Thanks to everyone who reviewed! Without you I can't go on! And Malathyne  is right. I should state whose POV it is. So this is Evy's ~

I heard  the knock on my door and answered in a low voice. I was violently pulled from 3000 BC to reality and I didn't like it. After all I wasn't expecting anyone. On the doorstep was a young woman, dark hair, dark almond shaped eyes, dark complexion. It took me a minute to put two and two together and realize to who I was looking at.  At the meantime she was studying me. She had a very intense stare, not very kind or friendly.  She looked as if she were weighing me, judging me. Then in a second, she smiled at me with a small smile that lighted her face. Now she was perfectly friendly.  With a quick, confident pace she came in front of my desk. I got up, shook her hand and smiled back at her. 

- You are Heterity I assume. Welcome. The truth is I have never heard that Ardeth was married, and suddenly I had this telegram and learned that Ardeth's wife was coming in London for something very important and that she was not really accustomed to… western world. I was very surprised and exited, couldn't wait to find more about her.

- I am glad I am here. I am glad to meet you too. Her accent was heavy, heavier than Ardeth's and the language didn't sound natural.  

- How can I help you? I asked kindly.

- Well, it's a big story… she started but I cut her off.

- If it's a big story then let's tell it home. You are going to stay with us of course.

She didn't object, just thanked me, shook her head and smiled at me again with a strange smile that illuminated her face. I have already started to like her. We went home by bus, as she was looking with amazement outside at the buildings, the lights, the movement, the rain. She wasn't talking at all. 

When we finally reached home we introduced her to Rick and Alex (thankfully Johnathan was not there) and sat down with hot cups of tea. She turned to me.

- I have something for you. She told me 

- You didn't have to! I told her although I was full of curiosity. She went through her things and gave me a big package wrapped in thick brown paper. I opened it slowly and saw a chest. It was made of wood and was covered with ivory and semi-precious stones which made beautiful designs. Two cobras were curling at the sides and on the lid Thoth, god of wisdom  was depicted dressed as a scribe. I was gaping in amazement and I opened it. Inside, four rolls of papyri were laying neatly. I opened one of them. Everything was in perfect condition, as if it were made yesterday. I turned at her.

- Where did you find it? I asked amazed.

- It used to belong to my brother. She smiled, this time as enigmatically as the sphinx. 

- To your brother? This is impossible! I stated looking at the chest and its contents again. It looked brand new but it was ancient, I could not be fooled.

- Listen to me, and maybe you will not find it so impossible. She said lowering her tone to almost a whisper. Even Rick's face was interested as everyone was coming nearer to her, trying to listen to her words. As the thousand-year-old story unfolded in front of my eyes magnificently colored by her words I kept looking in her face, which showed little emotion as if this was someone else's story. I heard of pain and love, wisdom dedication and betrayal, ancient myths coming true and unimaginable threats. When she finally stopped nobody else could speak, as if her voice was still ringing in the silence. Finally Rick (who else!) broke the silence.

- And now what do you want from us? If there is anything we can do and any threat we can face by you, we will be eager to do so. We already owe Ardeth so much. 

I nodded in agreement. 

- Thank you. Thank you for your kindness and offer. But this time the world is not in danger. It is a personal favor I want to request from you. It is for my safety. She now looked worried and sad, the magic of her words had disappeared and she was simple again.

- What do you need? We will help you in any way we can. I assured her.

- I already told you about the lioness. She has mortally hurt Ardeth during their combat. I could not witness him dying, moments after I had him back. I used a power that was not mine, it was just placed in my hands to guard it. he came back to life and perfect health. But the goddess doesn't like losing her victims, and I have defied an agreement. So I was terribly punished. In two weeks from now I would turn into the lioness myself and finish the job. I decided that I would never let that happen. If I couldn't find I solution, then I'd rather kill myself before this. However my patron, a great goddess herself gave a solution. Or a little help at least. She locked the curse in a red stone, so that in the end of the period there would be no trouble.

- Then everything is alright! Alex said simply.

- If it were alright, I wouldn't be here, she went on. If someone finds the stone, he can possibly unlock the curse, either by mistake or on purpose. I have to find it and destroy it. And I believe it is here in London, in the museum. This is where I need your help.

I smiled relieved and took her upstairs with me to show her the museum records. We have something for every single item in the Egyptian collection. She looked through papers, some old and dusted or torn by time, some others brand new looking at the little drawings on top of them. I assumed she could not read English. She finally stopped at an item and showed it to me.

- This one! What is it?  

I looked at it. It was a scimitar, when of our most beautiful findings made of pure gold and with a case with precious stones to match. I motioned to her to wait and went through another file, where we kept detailed paintings  of the better pieces. I showed it to her. She took it in her hands which were trembling slightly as I noticed.

- What? I asked her. It's a stone we are looking for. 

- This used to be mine. She told me in a husky voice. I lost it in a… confrontation.

I did not press the issue. She gave it back to me and started going through the files again. I suddenly noticed something. Just below the hilt, where the blade started was a small, tear shaped red stone. 

                                                    ~

Rick stopped hastily in front of the museum and we run inside with Alex on our heels. We could not leave him at home all alone and anyway he would insist very much in coming. We rushed through the doors to the Egyptian exhibition. The glass behind which the scimitar used to lie was broken. The weapon was nowhere to be seen. Heterity moaned in desperation. Rick frowned and scanned the area quickly.

- I can't believe it! she said. They found the correct time to steal it!

- It was the best part of the collection that was easily carried. I tried to reason.

- Errr… I don't think it was stolen because of that darling. I heard Rick's voice behind me. He was standing there holding the scabbard. Because this was more expensive that the thing itself, he went on.                


	4. Captured

Heterity frowned as she felt the world spinning around her. She was just a step away from the solution and then it was suddenly denied for her. But she should expect it. Was there ever anything easy in her life? She always had to fight for things. For her life, for the lives of the people she loved, for her country, for her duties, for everything. Her life, a constant fight. 

But who could know about the terrible power this little stone possessed, and who would ever want to unleash it? Who and how? Why? Again questions, too many questions. She thought she heard a voice back to the world of reality that interrupted her thoughts. She gave a puzzled look to Rick and Evelyn. 

"Did you hear something?" Rick repeated his question. 

Heterity looked around and shook her head. Then she thought she heard a noise too. Something like a soft moan. Hastily she moved to the other door of the room. Behind the entrance, leaning on the doorframe was a man clutching his side. Heterity kneeled in front of him, recognizing the Med-jai who had leaded her to Evy's office. Evelyn kneeled near him too. 

"The museums guide! They hurt him. But what was he doing here in such an hour?"

"He is a Med-jai." Heterity whispered shaking the man softly at the same time trying to bring him back to consciousness. He opened his eyes before Evelyn had time to ask again.

He saw Heterity and Evy kneeling in front of him and Rick standing over them all. He made an effort to speak.

"They came… Took it… I could not… Too many… I faked to be dead…" Heterity briefly touched his shoulder, as if to give him power. Encouraged by this he went on. "I heard them. They said they would take it…" He stopped for what seemed an eternity to the others. He coughed weakly and went on. "Egypt…" He finally said faintly and then his head dropped. 

Heterity sighed softly and closed his eyelids with her hand. She turned her back to the others, her hands balled to fists. Evelyn touched her shoulder in a comforting way. 

"We will take care that he is given a decent burial Heterity." The woman nodded and turned again to the man. 

"I guess this means we are going to Egypt." Rick muttered through clenched teeth. Heterity turned to him surprised.

"No, this means **I am going back to Egypt and ****you are staying here to take care of your son. I can not put you in an unknown danger. I have endangered more than enough people up to today." She said determined, her tone severe.  **

"We are adults you know, and we have been great dangers." Rick replied "If something is going on then we will do all we can to help. Whether it endangers personally you, or the whole world." 

Heterity tried to say something but Evelyn pressed without wanting to leave her new friend and Ardeth alone in this situation. 

                                                                         ~

Heterity was once again deep in thoughts in the ship to Egypt. They had left hastily (all of them) without even having time to notify Ardeth. After all he wasn't going anywhere. They would find him where they had left him. The pair and Alex joined her soon. In these few days she was becoming more and more attached to them. 

"You know, I wondered how could someone have information about it. Did anybody ever know about this?" Rick asked puzzled.

"Only one… The one who killed me. But he was killed too many thousands of years ago." She said thoughtfully. 

"Was there any way he had passed the knowledge to someone else?" Evelyn's question made the other woman think even harder.

"No… I don't think so." She said finally. "He certainly didn't record it somewhere and he trusted no one. He had no close relatives. No, this is not possible. I think of many possible solutions but every time I am running into a dead end. I don't know what to do and where to look. It is probably the first time I feel utterly helpless." Heterity confessed to them. This was the first time he had told this to someone, apart from her husband. 

"I am going outside, to get some fresh air." Heterity told smiling briefly. Evelyn followed her with her gaze. He hated seeing the woman in that helpless situation. She had almost given up trying. To tell the truth she felt lost too. There was nothing to start from. She turned to Rick and hugged him briefly hiding her face in his chest.

"I am going to find Heterity, she probably needs my company." 

"Mum, shall I come too?" Alex jumped to his feet and was by her before receiving an answer. Evelyn walked around the corner looking around in the deck.

"She is probably back to her room." Alex proposed already running towards that direction. Evelyn followed him. The door to the cabin was open just a crack and Evelyn could hear masculine voices inside. She swiftly moved away as she heard footsteps approaching the door and hid herself in a closet. She couldn't see who exited the room but she could hear footsteps coming from heavy boots going to the other rooms direction. When the noises stopped she run out to the other side of the deck and peeked through the window. The curtain was shut but she could still make out some shapes, like the tell-tale small frame belonging to her friend and many men in various shapes and sizes. One seemed to be the leader, judging by the way he was standing. She couldn't hear any voices. In a sadden jolt of the ship the curtain moved just a little allowing her to see that the leader was a red-haired man with very light complexion. Then, she hurriedly ran to warn Rick.   


	5. Captive

~ Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I do not know how to properly thank you for your support but I am afraid I am not very good at this! Hope you enjoy it! ~

Evelyn run to find Rick and they soon went back there. More people have been added, while she was standing at the corner of the room, untied but in no better condition, with two guns and some swords pointed at her. She was standing silent, frowned, and proud. Eve expected to see them trying to abuse her but they weren't even talking to her. Rare thing she thought, because people like those were usually quite talkative. 

Rick leaned towards her to whisper in her ear.

"They are too many for us to try and to something about Heterity now and here. We have to watch them. We have to find an opening later. Damn! I knew we would get in trouble again!"  he concluded through clenched teeth, though still in low voice. 

At the same moment Heterity told something to the red-haired man. They couldn't hear her voice, but her expression was challenging, ironic. The man snapped something back at her and she told him something that made one of the men with the guns push her violently. The chief held a hand up to him. They obviously wanted her unharmed. 

                                                                                            ~

I all the days the travel lasted they watched them periodically. They didn't treat her badly, they gave food to her and they still didn't talk very much unless she talked to them. And apart from the first days she didn't talk to them either. The way they acted puzzled both of them greatly. This was not usual. Probably they needed something from her though. But all that until they arrived at Egypt. They managed to hide in a car that took them away, in the desert in a campsite. And then the situation changed dramatically.

                                                                                           ~

The guarding was rather poor there, but still too much for just two people. Rick noticed that Heterity was escorted to a small tent heavily guarded. He also noticed another heavily guarded tent bigger than the other, probably the biggest in the camp. Rick managed to slide under the tent from the behind (after cutting a part of it!) and Evelyn followed soon. There, hidden by a large cushion they saw a man sitting on several others. He was in his mid-forties, a handsome man with dark hair, black eyes, slightly beaked nose and harsh eyes. The red-haired man was sitting on his right, while two guards dressed in dark robes were standing tall and heavily armed.

Immediately, four more brought Heterity there. They were happy to see her well but they wondered what was going to happen now. They didn't appear as gentle as the last time as they forcibly pushed her to stand before the man. Her wrists were tied behind her back but she was still holding her head up proudly and her eyes were shining wildly. The man smiled coldly.

"Welcome to my humble home Heterity. We are not honored every day by the visit of so… important people." He told her ironically, the cold smile never leaving his face. She struggled and glared at her guards.

"Who are you and what do you want of me?" she demanded.

"Ah… we will talk about everything in time. Don't worry. For the time being I want to know if the myth that was passed down from my ancestors in true? Is it true that you are very proud? That you never bend your knee to anyone? I would like to see it myself." Her expression has become very dark.

"Who are you?" she asked again even louder and struggled harder, thing which was pointless, since she received a painful blow at the ribs. She barely flinched though. 

"Very well… If you insist…" he leaned back and stared at her. "My name is Ibrahim, but I doubt that this will mean something to you. I am extremely proud of my ancestor, who was a great warrior named Nehti. I believe you recognize the name."

"He was the one who killed me! This is impossible, he died without children!" 

"So you think." His voice was not teasing anymore. "He had a son, and some of his men survived. While the dutiful med-jai were taking care of their kings even if they were dead we waited. And got stronger and stronger. Each leader laid on his son's shoulders the same task. Revenge. Against you, against the med-jai, against a particular med-jai. And the time has come Heterity. Now bow to me. You may live a little longer in this way." 

"Never." She answered sharply. Anger and disgust were written on her handsome face. Ibrahim made an invisible gesture to the guard closer to Heterity. He delivered a strong blow on her temple. She almost lost balance for moment as she close her eyes. She appeared ready to collapse, but then she steadied herself again as much as possible.   

"I haven't bowed to anyone, even to the ones who deserved it. I am not going to bow now to an animal with animal blood thick in his veins." She said majestically and spat in front of his feet. This time the guard didn't need encouragement. He brought his hand on the back of her neck using all of his strength. Heterity crashed to her knees and the guards held her there. Not that it was very difficult as she was dazed from the hit. Ibrahim looked down at her.

"Now who has the upper hand?" he asked adopting a teasing tone of voice again. 

This moment a man came in the room. In his hand was the golden scimitar with the precious red stone. Heterity's head shot up again but was brutally brought down. The man gave it to Ibrahim with a quick bow and disappeared. The guards took Heterity away while she still tried to turn her head to the direction of the weapon. 

                                                                    ~

Rick, Evelyn and Alex kneeled behind the tent where Heterity was kept. They had managed to sneak there under the guards nose. This very dark night was helping them. Neither stars nor moon shined on the sky. Just endless rolling clouds that made the night look haunted. Rick examined the material of the tent and made for his knife. He searched in every possible place but he just couldn't find it. This was very annoying. He turned to his wife.

"Evy, I think I forgot the knife back in the other tend." He could only guess her look as he couldn't see her face. He glanced at the place where the knife laid. He could see the bright light of a torch. There were guards there. Damn! 

He tried to tear the fabric but it was too thick. He stopped abruptly disappointed and cursed under his breath. 

"Maybe someone cal slip under the tent." Evelyn proposed. Rick shook his head.

"No, I have already thought of it. It will just bring the whole tent down and alarm the guards."

"Then maybe we can dig under it?" 

Rick looked at the sand under the tent.

"Yes… that could be possible but the sand is very hard here. We will never manage to dig a big enough hole before we are discovered." 

"Dig a smaller one. I will go inside to talk with her at least." Alex spoke. Evelyn looked down at her son proudly. Rick didn't reply but he started digging as quickly as he could. His wife soon joined him. 

                                                                                         ~

Heterity wasn't sleeping. She couldn't sleep. All she could do was think. Think about the stone, the descendant of her murderer, Ardeth, the med-jai and the O'Connells. The bitter irony of the case was that she could escape, but couldn't do it because she didn't know were her friends were. _They might be looking for me and get in trouble with no reason, _she though. Suddenly a small noise caught her attention. She turned to the back of the tent and saw a small whole and a little blond head coming out of it. Her eyes widened in pleasant surprise and moved to him. She gently placed her hands under his small body and pulled him inside.   

"Alex! What are you doing here?"

"Mum and dad are here, so we dug a hole and I came in to tell you that we are here for you." He told her without taking a breath. She smiled and stroke his hair.

"And you came in here alone? You are a very brave child Alex! Now listen to me. Go outside and tell your parents to leave."

"Leave? No, we are not leaving without you. They promised to help you."

"Listen to me Alex! At the north of this camp is a small oasis. Start now, or they will notice you. Dawn is not far away. Take two horses, not camels they are very slow and disobedient. Wait for me there. I will join you before midday. Leave now! Don't worry about me, just go immediately there. Do you understand?"

Alex nodded surprised.

"Good. Now go and say it all to your parents." 

She helped him to slip outside and then sighed. Things were taking a better turn than she hoped. 

                                                                                    ~

"We shouldn't have listened to her! She just wanted to get us out of there!" Rick yelled angrily. Heterity has promised to be there before midday. Now it was evening. "What the hell? Is she coming on foot or what?" he added with less tension in his voice this time. 

"Uh… Dad… I think she **is coming on foot." Alex pointed to his father a dark small figure walking towards their direction. The pair rushed to their sons side. **

"This is impossible." Evelyn said. "It is too far, and besides the noon heat could have killed her."

In the meantime she was approaching. When she finally reached them she smiled at them looking very tired. The small wound on her temple was covered with dried blood. 

"How did you come here?" Rick asked.

"Well, by horse of course. But I urged it too much and it collapsed somewhere near here, so I had to cover the rest of the distance on foot. It wasn't very much though. Now, lets go back to Hamunaptra. Things are much worse than I might have ever imagined."


	6. Thats what brothers are for

~ Thank you, thank you , thank you. A big get well to Lula J. Oh, by the way I learned something interesting I want to share with you, though you may already know it. So, I recently read that ancient Egyptians did not kiss on the lips, but they rubbed their noses instead! The kiss on the lips was taken later in their decay by the Greeks! Oh! I almost forgot. This chapter is for Christine, my English teacher because she had the patience to have a look at my other story and because if it wasn't for her I wouldn't be able to write anyway!~

The sand colored lioness with the red marking on her shoulder growled again deeply herthroat and prepared for a second attack. The warrior who was facing her was trying to keep their distance by holding his scimitar away from his body in defensive posture. She leaped elegantly aiming for his throat but he moved sharply to the left and she landed on the sand with the grace of a well-trained dancer. She turned around immediately moving her long tail from side to side nervously. She attacked him again directly and with more power this time. He couldn't avoid her this time. More out of instinct, which has come from a long training he sliced with his weapon horizontally. She collapsed to the ground, this time clumsily. The med-jai fell to his knees looking at the dying animal not wanting to accept it. She moaned almost like a human. He approached her and gently placed the golden head on his lap. The blood running freely from her throat was soaking his robes but he didn't care. He run his hands through the thick fur and bit his lower lip until it bled. He was numb to the physical pain at this moment. The animal struggled in his arms and turned her eyes to his face. They were clouded but full of affection. He gasped. "Heterity… no! please don't leave me! Oh Allah, what have I done? What have I done?" He clutched her fur until his knuckles turned white from the pressure. The lioness let her head drop again and with a final struggle the royal head stopped moving. Ardeth screamed at the top of his lungs, as loud as he could. Nobody heard his voice apart from some stray birds who flew away scared. There, in the silence of the desert night he mourned and cursed gods and demons until dawn.

Ardeth woke up gasping for breath. He struggled to regain his composure. The sheets were wet from sweat and tears. His hair was matted from perspiration. That was so horrible. His fears, haunting him in sleep and action alike. He got up to wash his face and drink some water. And when he came back he saw her. Lying casually between the sheets, yawning slightly, with the red mark on her shoulder was the huge cat. Ardeth blinked, and the thing disappeared. God! I am either aging, or worries are driving me mad. Then the door flap opened. In the dim light he saw a small female figure. But this time it was neither a nightmare nor a hellish vision. She was standing there, in flesh and bone. He now realized how worried he had been that something might have happened to her away from him. He run up to her and squeezed her in his arms strongly.She rested her head on his chest returning the hug. 

"Where have you been? Is everything alright?" he asked moving backwards to have a look at her, although now that the flap was closed he couldn't see many things. 

"I am afraid that it is not Ardeth. Things have got much more complicated than I could ever imagine. We have many more pawns in the game. The O'Connells are here. why don't you put your robes on so that we can discuss it all together?" she said with a sad and tired smile.

Ardeth's expression became darker. Of course. The thought that we would get away so simple was so naïve of me! He was now full of concern, not only for the bad news which would certainly follow but because he could hear a strange tone to his wife's voice.

"Heterity… come over here please." He pulled her nearer to an oil lamp and lit it. She resisted slightly. He examined her face, saw the dried blood and the still open wound on her temple. She tried not to flinch when he passed his hand over it. 

"My god… What happened to you? Why didn't you tell me?"

"I am fine. It is just a scratch. I will tell you. Just throw some clothes on you, I am going to fetch Rick and Evy."

~

Ardeth embraced gently his friend and Evelyn. 

"I am really happy to see you again my friends. I feel safer when you are at my side." 

Rick smiled at the compliment. He was very happy and relieved to see Ardeth again. And somehow, he believed too that now everything would be alright. It was just like old times again. They had won then, why not now? Back then they were going against Imhotep, who was undead and had all these strange powers, now they were facing a mere mortal with a group smaller than the med-jai. He explained his thoughts to the others. Eve nodded in agreement and Ardeth just frowned, thinking. He was already informed by Heterity who, in response to Rick's opinion, dropped her head to her hand tiredly. 

"I wish it was that easy. But he we should not underestimate him. He is very dangerous, because he has nothing to fight about. No ideologies, no power, no love, nothing. Just revenge. He is desperate about it, and he thinks he is the one who should take it. he will fight until he is killed, and that is not an easy thing."

"Yes." Ardeth said "We can not launch a straight-forward attack because…"

"He has the stone!" Rick and Evy said at the same time turning to look at each other.

"After we get it, there is nothing easier than crush him with a focused and determined attack. But such a little object will not be retrieved by army. It needs just one person." Ardeth went on with his plan.

"Let me tell you this. He doesn't know the power of the stone. He doesn't even know its existence. He wants the sword as a symbol of power, because it was mine and because it killed someone… very important." 

"I noticed something." Rick said suddenly. "His group is not made up by the same persons. There are a few people that belonged to the original group, there are some strange guys, some desert bastards and some simple criminals."

"I got it!" Evy snapped her fingers. "A group like that is only united by the leader. But if the leader is killed…" 

"They will scatter… or panic… even better they will start killing each other." Heterity completed the sentences thoughtfully. "Yes… that is a correct idea. Now, I think we should take out decisions now, unaffected and tell the council later. And to make things simple, I will go there. After all I have the personal difference with Ibrahim."

"I don't think so Heterity. I made the serious mistake of leaving you alone once, I am not going to do it again. I will come with you. After all it's my responsibility."

"I have come with you up to now. I am not going to leave you alone when you really need me ." Rick said giving a glance to his wife who nodded. 

~

Heterity could at last have some sleep. Ardeth should be talking with the leaders right now. But she felt her lids heavy and her body felt like slowly sinking in warm thick water. Before even understanding it she fell asleep.

My sister. Wake up your mind. Listen to me. I have come to you through another world, I crossed some lines to talk to you, to warn you. Heterity woke up. She looked around. She was sitting in her old home, the palace, by a little artificial pool. She jumped up surprised and saw Matma coming her way. 

"Brother! Where am I? What are you doing here?"

"I brought you here for a while. We are back home. Now I need you to listen carefully, for the dead know things the living can not imagine of."

"What? What do you know? Quit talking in riddles, it has always annoyed me!"

"Always impatient… anyway, I don't have all the day either. Now the little piece of information we were talking of… what are you going to give me, if you want me to tell you?"

"Matma!"

"Ts ts ts.You temper is not going to get things anywhere…"

"Matma! Gather yourself!"

"Ok, ok. I have always been a good person deep down…"

"Extremely deep though. Will you tell me the answer?"

"Heterity. An asp is brewing in your arms. Beware of the poison! Beware!" 

Heterity opened her eyes. "An asp in my arms?"


	7. After the phantom traitor

~To Marxbros: Why should a poker player show his cards to his fellow players? ;-) I am just kidding, I promise you will see it until the end of the story. And if I don't manage to fit it somewhere, then I will mail it to you personally. I will not leave you wondering!~

Ardeth entered the department of the tent which served as a bedchamber for him and his wife. He was tired too both emotionally and because he had to answer so many questions. To his surprise he found Heterity awake, semi-lying on the bed, frowning in concentration.

"Are you not asleep?" he asked surprised and a little bit worried.

"Tell me Ardeth, what did you say to the council? When did you tell them we are leaving? Did you tell them of the stone?" she said without answering his question.

"I told them we are leaving the day after tomorrow morning. They know the whole story now and they agreed to our decision."

"Do they know of the sword too?" 

"Well, yes that's the principle information! But what happened? Tell me what are you thinking of, Hity. What is troubling your mind?"    

"Nothing. Just get some sleep because we are leaving early tomorrow morning, in two or three hours if possible."

Ardeth who has laid down by now and was trying to relax shot up again to look in her eyes. He asked no questions, waiting for her to give him the information. 

"You see, I… I can not be sure Ardeth but… I think there is a traitor in the council. Right under our nose. He is one of the leaders. But I don't know who he is." 

Now Ardeth didn't feel tired anymore, looking at her in full alert. 

"What are you talking about? What do you know?"

"I saw Mahatma in a dream. He came to warn me. He said that there is an asp in my arms. I have been thinking of this in every possible way, and I that's what I think it means."

"You are right. It may not be true, but in the case that it is… we need to take precautions. I will let no one know. And we will warn Rick and Evelyn tomorrow. And I hope that we will arrive there before the news of our early departure." 

Heterity nodded,  although she still had a faraway look in her eyes. "I knew you would understand. Now you'd better sleep, because tomorrow will be a very hard day. Here, let me help you relax." She gently pushed him back down and he obeyed without protests. Turning his back at her. She started rubbing his shoulders and upper arms softly in small circles taking the tension away, while she whispered a soft tune to his ear. He fell asleep in no time, but she stayed there, in the dark with her lids open, holding his head in her arms. She was scared. She didn't want to lose him. She didn't want to lose anything. Why couldn't every time be just like that?

                                                                 ~

Rick climbed on the horse, still heavy-lidded and semi-conscious of his surroundings. Evelyn was no better, as she rode by Heterity whose head was hanging to the side ever so lively… Only Ardeth seemed to be fully ready to face anything the new day had to offer, good or bad with a look of determination on his face. Rick looked at the horizon. The first colors of dawn haven't yet appeared in the horizon and it was still chilly. However he knew how deceiving all this was. In very short time the sky would be magnificently lit and the heat just tolerable. He was very surprised when Heterity showed up to their tent telling them that they had to leave right now and explained the reasons but he didn't object (not much anyway). Alex was left behind to the care of Samira, Ardeth's sister. 

Later, when the solar boat has reached the middle of her trip in the sky, the heat got much worse than Rick had predicted. He glanced at Ardeth, who had slowed down the pace of his horse to prevent exhaustion. Then he turned behind him to see how his wife was coping with the situation. This woman always surprised him by being extremely tough in harsh conditions. Right now she seemed as if she was enjoying the ride, as she was talking with Heterity, a fascinated expression on her face. 

They managed to reach the oasis near the camp before sunset. They made a pause there to rest their tired animals and their tired selves. After eating some dried meat with hard bread and drinking water they sat down and waited for darkness to fall. Now there was nothing to do but have patience. And talk.

"Who do you think the traitor is?" Rick made the question which has been troubling him all day. "I noticed that there was a commander who seemed to question everything you said." Rick was present to the council last night, and that was one of the reasons that made him tired today.      

"You are talking about Abdul. I must tell you I don't know. Despite his harsh words he has always appeared a man of honor and truth. But under these conditions, I don't know in whom to believe. Until he is revealed, I must suspect everyone." Ardeth answered, his voice sounding dragged down.

"How can we be sure the traitor is just one?" Evy asked

Heterity chuckled slightly. "Mahatma may like confusing people, but when he says something, then its true. He would never point in the wrong direction or say something inaccurate. Once he says it at least. No, the traitor is just one."

"Is that natural? I mean, for dead people to show to dreams?" Rick pointed out to Heterity raising an eyebrow. 

"Is it natural for mummies to come alive?" his wife answered for her. 

Rick nodded without wanting to engage in further similar conversation. And tried to change the topic. No more mummies for today. "So Heterity, you didn't tell us, how did you get away from him?"

But the young woman ignored him and got up. "Look. It is complete darkness. The moon is covered by clouds. We'd better go now to their camp." She said leaving the question unanswered. 

                                                                  ~

Ardeth crawled to peer from behind a sand-dune. He then turned to look suspiciously at Rick. "Are you sure the camp was here?"

"Yes, why?" Rick whispered.

Ardeth got to his feet and looked around. "Because its not anymore."  


	8. Battle

~ I have to post this here because when I wanted to do it ff.net was acting in very strange way.  
  
Review for Hearafter to Marxbros: I want to write a really nice review for you. One worthy of your stories. I wish I could praise you with the nice words everybody else can.but in a strange way I am unable to do it and that doesn't mean I don't like them. No matter how hard I try, I will never be able to write a review worthy of Hearafter. But I will do my best, I promise Well, that was the thing I expected the least. I mean, the gods have shown that they are not friendly to Imhotep. Yet Anubis.but I must say that the way Anubis is treated is so unbelievably unfair. Anubis was not a dark god. God of the dead, cemeteries and embalming, yes, evil no. He protected the King and his dead body and verything. And of course the Necropolis. That is the only part I will have to comment negatively on in the movies and in your story. Poor jackal god. ?. Anyway, I will live through it I think. I also liked very much the scene with Imhotep and Ancksunamun. It was wonderful. Also, my strange mind, working in a strange way; gave a strange idea. Ardeth is alone. Anjelika is alone. Oh! Never mind. Nothing. Just things crossing my mind. Oh, and a very large thanks to Lula for betaing this.~  
  
Chapter 8  
  
"What Ardeth, how can that be possible?" "It is, my friend." They all got up and looked at the place where the camp used to be. Rick flexed his tired muscles before speaking.  
  
"It seems that whoever the traitor is, is pretty fast. Faster than we are anyway. They have already gone."  
  
"This is impossible." Heterity mumbled. "We took the quickest way to come here and everyone else would have started later. He either took a longer road, which would make him late or overlook us, but we would have seen him."  
  
"How can we be sure they didn't just change place for other reasons?" Rick asked. His wife moved to the center of the flat terrain and checked around.  
  
"Look. This well still has plenty of water. These people would not leave certainty for something uncertain unless there is. a really serious reason. Heterity, didn't you tell me that you talked about it with Ardeth last night? How can we be sure that everybody was in his bed on that night?"  
  
"Evy, you are a genius." Heterity said admiringly. "Somebody overheard us. And so they moved quickly."  
  
"The morning breeze covered their tracks with sand. and they were here at least 5 hours ago," Ardeth continued her thought.  
  
"Where do you think our pals have moved?" Rick asked looking around.  
  
"Well, I don't think they will pop over the hill." Evelyn said stopping in mid-sentence as menacing people appeared. They approached them from the only side they hadn't checked yet. Evy bit her lips. Rick was the first to speak again.  
  
"They are less than twenty. Do you think we could handle them? Look! Their leader is here and the red-haired pain in the butt. (( that's for Lula ;-) ))"  
  
"Possibly." Ardeth said through his teeth, shooting a look at the women. Heterity was already gripping her scimitar (she had a rather bad relationship with guns of any type) and Evelyn was loading the handgun she had taken from Rick. Four people ready for battle versus twenty probably good warriors. The scale was not leaning their way.  
  
"Very stupid of him to come here himself," he heard his wife's remark by him. When the group of warriors came near his range he raised his gun and shot, hearing at the same time the shots of Rick and Evelyn. Three people fell, while the leader disappeared wisely behind his people. "Coward," Heterity remarked wryly.  
  
Soon they came against them. Despite their effort not to split up, Rick and Ardeth soon found themselves away from their wives. Rick shot in the face a big man, his gun almost making contact with the other's forehead. Then he bent, avoiding a hit aimed for his own head and kicked his opponent's feet. He lost his balance and collapsed clumsily. Rick finished him off quickly. He went for a third clear shot-the man has turned away from him-but his weapon just went click click and didn't shoot. "Damn!" he cursed.  
  
He felt cold metal in his hand and turning, he was surprised to see Ardeth pushing a sword in his hand without looking at him, focused in the battle. Rick lost his concentration just for a moment searching for his wife with his eyes. A sharp pain at his shoulder brought him back to reality. A bullet had buried deep in his flesh and the one who had shot him, a non- native man who looked very much like him was ready to deliver the finishing blow. Rick raised the sword instinctively and the bullet hit the metal producing a hair-raising sound and was deflected.  
  
Now the enemy had been reduced in number and through the gaps of their lines, Ardeth and Rick were able to re-unite with their wives. 


End file.
